The Troy Trojans are the intercollegiate athletic teams of Troy University in Troy, Alabama. The university’s athletic identity has evolved through several distinct marks, from the early “Red Wave” era to the current “T Sword” primary logo introduced in 2016. The program’s visual identity is built around the Trojan warrior theme, expressed through both a stylized letterform and a detailed warrior head mark.
Meaning and Symbolism
The Trojan warrior theme connects directly to the university’s nickname, which the student body officially adopted in 1973, replacing the previous “Red Wave” identity that dated to 1931 [1]. The warrior imagery is carried through multiple marks, including a Trojan head in profile and a “T” letterform styled as a sword, the latter serving as the primary athletic logo since 2016 [2].
The official team colors are cardinal, silver, and black [1]. The university’s style guide specifies cardinal as #6d0017 and silver as #b2b3b5 [3]. The sword motif appears across the identity, including a registered trademark for a shield design featuring the words “TROY TROJANS” with two crossed swords behind them, rendered in cardinal, black, silver, gray, and white [4].
Design and History
Troy’s athletic nickname history begins in 1931, when coach Albert Elmore changed the team mascot to the “Red Wave,” a variation of Alabama’s “Crimson Tide” [1]. The student body officially adopted “Trojans” as the university mascot in 1973 [1].
The athletic logo has gone through several iterations. A detailed Trojan head with a raised helmet, surrounded by “TROY STATE UNIVERSITY” text, served as the primary mark from 1974 to 1992 [5]. Later versions included a right-facing Trojan helmet in silver and black (1999–2004) and a Trojan with a raised sword on a shield (2004–2008) [6][7].
The current primary logo, introduced in 2016, is the “T Sword,” a letter “T” styled to resemble a sword [2]. The Trojan head remains part of the identity system, appearing in the university’s official web template assets alongside the “TROY” wordmark [3]. The university also uses a “Power T” version of the sword logo, which was painted as a 60-foot pavement mark at a campus intersection in 2021 [8].
The program’s move to NCAA Division I-A in 2001 and its entry into the Sun Belt Conference for the 2004 season marked significant milestones in the athletic department’s history [1]. The university itself was renamed from Troy State University to Troy University in 2004 [9].
Typography and Design
The university’s official style guide specifies Lato (weight 300) for standard body text and Constantia for headings on its web platform [3].
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the current Troy Trojans logo? The primary athletic logo since 2016 is the “T Sword,” a letter “T” styled as a sword [2]. The Trojan head remains a secondary mark within the identity system [3].
When did Troy adopt the Trojans nickname? The student body officially adopted “Trojans” as the university mascot in 1973, replacing the “Red Wave” nickname that had been in use since 1931 [1].
What are the official Troy Trojans colors? The official team colors are cardinal, silver, and black [1]. The university style guide specifies cardinal as #6d0017 and silver as #b2b3b5 [3].
Who designed the Troy Trojans logo? Reliable public information identifying the designer or agency behind the current “T Sword” logo or the earlier Trojan head marks was not found in the sources reviewed for this article.
When was the Troy Trojans logo last updated? The current primary “T Sword” logo was introduced in 2016 [2].
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